It follows a Home Office operation targeted against those exploiting the Common Travel Area (CTA).
Officials seized £17,000 in suspected criminal assets and issued civil penalties worth more than £10,000.
Home Office immigration enforcement teams executed a three-day operation tackling abuse of the CTA – comprised of the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, descending on ports and airports in Northern Ireland, North West England and Wales.
The operation, the sixth of its kind, saw collaborative working between the PSNI, An Garda Síochána, the National Crime Agency (NCA), other UK police forces, Border Force and international partners to gather intelligence, trace offenders and take action against UK border breaches.
Over 30 arrests and £160,000 of assets were seized in a Northern Ireland people-smuggler crackdown. Stock photo.
News Catch Up – Thursday 22 May
Home Office immigration enforcement deputy director Ben Thomas said: “Our team alongside law enforcement agencies are dedicated to breaking down the business model of criminal gangs who put lives at risk every day, the strength of our partnership and success of this operation serves as evidence.
“Criminal networks seek to bypass robust border checks through fraudulent means and trap vulnerable people into further illegal activities.
“The success of this operation marks a significant step up in enforcement activity leading to the arrest of 33 criminals who attempted to abuse the Common Travel Area and undermine the UK’s border security.
“I would like to thank my team and partners across the country for their around the clock dedication to root out the criminal gangs and bring them to justice, protecting those they exploit and the citizens of the UK.”
Home Office minister Dame Angela Eagle said the government was “using every tool at its disposal to take down the criminal gangs who exploit vulnerable people in order to make quick cash”.
“We are breaking down the criminal networks at their root with enforcement visits and arrests up by 38%,” she said.
“The government’s Plan for Change will ensure that criminal networks who abuse our borders face the full force of the law, which is exactly why we have introduced the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill giving law enforcement new counter-terror style powers to smash the people smuggling gangs.
“Alongside robust legislation at the heart of this mission, the Border Security Command is coordinating our efforts to reduce irregular migration by working alongside our international partners to restore order to our borders.”
Since July 2024 over 60 arrests have been made and over £405,000 of criminal cash seized in the crackdown on abuse of the CTA.